Three CIOs offer advice for how to strike a balance between onshore and offshore IT resources to meet business needs.

Tim Arthur, CIO & Global Director of MIS, Alltech

Look for knowledge, commitment, agility.

Outsourcing can add layers, and layers can add complexity. And we're all about clarity. We've been growing 30 percent a year, both organically and through acquisitions. As a result, we have an agile environment in IT. When we do outsource, it's based on skills and, more importantly, on knowledge, rather than on adding physical bodies. For example, security and Citrix support--they're here and fit right in to our tight-knit team.